"David Hare-Scott" > wrote in message
...
> We were given a big bag of eggplants (aubergine) from a friend, the only
> way
> to use them up was to make baba ganouche. I have made this maybe 50
> times,
> after the first few times it has been pretty good stuff. Never any
> problems
> before. You start with baking them whole in the oven and when they are
> soft
> you peel off the skin and pulp the cooked flesh.
>
> So into the oven goes 8 or so eggplants and I put on the time to remind me
> to check them. I settled down to watch TV. After about half an hour ...
>
> KABOOM
>
> One of the little buggers had exploded, pulp everywhere. This has *never*
> happened before, so why has it happened now, who knows? So now I will
> prick
> each one before baking. After I clean the oven.

Geez, what a mess. Oddly, when I've seen people on tv making that,
they cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and bake them on a sheet, face
down. Never saw them baked whole. It's kinda funny, I can picture
eggplant eggplant everywhere, but then, I don't have to clean it up.

(smile) nancy